Step-By-Step: New Tricks for an Old PC

PROJECT: Network File Server

Processor: Pentium-133 or above

RAM: 32MB or above

Hard drive: 10GB or above

Operating system: Windows 98 or above

Network card required? Yes

Other suggested add-ins: Large (80GB+) hard drive ($100 and up)

A networked PC used to store files does not need a lot of horsepower. If your old PC's hard drive is 20GB or larger, it probably has enough space for basic file sharing and backup. But if you want to store lots of files, make large backups, or share digital media (photos or MP3 files), you'll probably want to install a second, larger-capacity hard drive.

1. Enable file sharing. Right-click Network Neighborhood (Windows 98) or My Network Places (Me, 2000, or XP), and choose Properties. In 98 or Me, click the File and Print Sharing button, check I want to be able to give others access to my files, and click OK. In 2000 or XP, right-click your local area connection, select Properties, and check File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. Then restart your PC.

2. Share the drive(s). Double-click My Computer, right-click the icon for the drive or folder that you want to share, and choose Sharing. Follow the directions on the screen to set up sharing. You can specify full access, read-only access, or password-based access. Repeat the process for any other drives.